[Aqualist] Portable pump and centrifuge for suspended sediment sampling

[Tim Ralph]

Dear AQUAlist members,

I am about to engage in some suspended sediment sampling in inland
Australian rivers, but I need to obtain relatively large volumes (0.5 to
1kg) of suspended sediment from water with pretty low concentrations of
sediment (i.e. large volumes of water need to be sampled/sieved/centrifuged
in the field).

I am wondering whether there is a research group (or an individual) with
access to a portable pump and centrifuge system that would be suitable for
this purpose, and, if so, would you or your group be able to lend me the
equipment for a couple of weeks in March 2012?  I am also open to
expressions of interest for collaboration, and so if you or you group is
unwilling to *lend* such equipment, then we could discuss some options for
this research.

The type of system that I am keen to use is one similar to that used by
CSIRO in the past for Murrumbidgee sampling (Peter Wallbrink, Jon Olley, et
al.).  A similar unit is also being tested by colleagues in the UK - they
use an Alfie500 (made by Alfa Laval), which is a portable pump/centifuge
system made for separating coolants.  It has a hose for suction from a tank
(or river, in this case), and water is pulled though the centrifuge where
solid particles accumulate in the rotating bowl and can be retained for
subsequent analysis (for info on the Alfie500, please see:
http://www.alfalaval.com/solution-finder/products/alfie/Pages/Alfie.aspx)

Any thoughts/suggestions/replies are welcome.

All the best
Tim Ralph

-- 
Lecturer
Department of Environment and Geography
Macquarie University, NSW 2109 Australia